Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...The piece is structured with Skilling as a kind of tragic hero, a man who comes to believe in his own boosterism, as if a man could be defined by a stock price. But for that to work, we also have to see Skilling play out on the trading floor of something close to life."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...This show should be mandatory viewing for anyone concerned about the economic, political, moral, social and mental health of this country, as well as our sprawling network of global connections and that globe’s impossibly tangled web of virtual transactions. While that might sound too daunting and cerebrally challenging for an evening out, rest assured that “Enron” is every bit as entertaining as it is riveting. It will keep you enthralled from the very first chant of “Blind!” (to which you will certainly add the word “willfully,” as you watch Three Blind Mice scurry around the stage), to a corporate executive’s final denial of guilt (which might well prompt the response: “Liar!”)."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...It's a circus, forged by a technical-design staff George Lucas himself might envy, but Rachel Rockwell's musical and stage combat directorial expertise renders its logistics always crisp and precise, even when executed at road-runner velocity, as the nine-actor ensemble zips through changes of scenery, costumes and masks with lightning agility. At the center of the dazzle is Bret Tuomi's brilliant portrayal of the power-drunk Skilling, whose eyes glow like a crocodile's as he revels in the gullibility of his inferiors. Even in defeat, he continues to deny wrongdoing, instead faulting the capitalist system that allows greed to triumph. Is he right? You've got until April 15—ironically, the scheduled date of the show's closing—to make up your mind."
Centerstage - Highly Recommended
"...The production itself explodes with unexpected moments, a fluid fight scene, clever costumes, and seamlessly integrated multi-media. Even scene changes, stylized and intricately choreographed provide a pleasurable diversion. Bret Tuomi as the “Caveat Emptor” espousing Jeffrey Skilling is less iniquitous, more misguided and brings significant prowess to bear. Prebble’s choice to appeal to Skilling’s relationship with his daughter (Caroline Heffernan) as a means to humanize him seems cliché, however Heffernan, appearing via video-screen, does characteristically fantastic work in regrettably brief scenes."
Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...Unfortunately, those characterizations are about the extent of Prebble’s point of view. Despite the couple dozen metaphors the playwright hangs on the proceedings, seemingly designed to position Enron as a cautionary fairy tale, she forgets to include a moral, failing to probe Skilling’s motivations; with nothing to go on, Tuomi plays him as a sociopathic blank. Take away the puppets and masks and spastic video projections, the bells and whistles, and this is a lumbering, overly expository economics lesson, like an Ezra Klein column with flashier charts."
Chicago Theatre Addict - Somewhat Recommended
"...However, carnivorous reptiles aside, the scariest part of the entire thing, which Prebble’s barely touches on, is how such things happen in the first place. As Einstein said, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” From the crowded intersection where a child gets run over by a van and no one stops to help, to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, Enron is a symptom of a larger societal disease. And while Enron, the play, is an entertaining 2.5 hours, it’s mostly a missed opportunity."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Rachel Rockwell steps aside from her status as the hottest musical theater director in the area to direct this play (Jesse Klug and Greg Hofmann designed the lighting, Kevin O’Connor the sound and Mike Tutaj the film and video projections). Rockwell’s staging moves briskly on Kevin Depinet and Nick Sieben’s set, and the arcane subject matter comes across lucidly – frequently with high tension and sometimes with comedy. But there is slackness in the script that her directing cannot overcome. The play starts slowly, and spectators unfamiliar with the Enron story may spend the first 20 minutes wondering where the play is going. The storyline is hurt by the weakly drawn character of Kenneth Lay (admirably played by Terry Hamilton) and the failure to integrate Claudia into the crux of the plot (Amy Matheny plays the executive with a ferocity required for a female to survive in the macho Enron boardrooms)."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The inter dynamics in the rush for power, greed and ego are vividly dramatized with doses of dark humor and emotional melt downs in this provocative and enlightening theatrical event. Leaving Enron, I had a better understanding of just how and why the giant company crumbled. The details play like a cautionary tale demanding more government oversight. After all, the thousands of investors and employees’ loves were ruined by the fraudulent business practices of the energy giant. As a theatre work, Enron is tad too anecdotal at times but ultimately delivers the complex story nicely."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"... The Chicago Premiere of "Enron" by Lucy Prebble and directed by Rachel Rockwell at TimeLine Theatre Company in Chicago is a must see. Not only is it educational it is eye opening to get an inside look at how this infamous scandal took place. No musical numbers in this production, just facts, figures, and some savage comedy. Rachel Rockwell does an excellent job at choreographing the scene changes and makes you feel like you are there with the deceitful, manipulative Jeffrey Skilling as the COO (Bret Tuomi). Wow, is he believable! Kenneth Lay (Terry Hamilton) plays the head in the sand, southern charmer CEO of Enron."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Recommended
"... At the backbone of the story is Bret Tuomi (Skilling). Tuomi brings a real humanity to his character. The arrogance is there but there’s an underlying earnestness. Tuomi makes Skilling a likable guy who can’t believe his initiative failed. Tuomi demonstrates Skilling’s denial not as deception, more as genuine surprise. His nemesis Amy Matheny (Claudia) is marvelous as a powerful and power-hungry business woman. Matheny gets extra points for kicking ass in insanely high heels. Under Rockwell’s direction, corruption takes company buy-in. The entire ensemble comes together to illustrate business as unusual. This ENRON team is a sound investment. They succeed in giving the people their money’s worth."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"... Timeline Theatre Company loves to bring us theater with stories that deal with history and continue to scour the headlines for just the right stories. Everyone is familiar with Enron and what their rise and fall did to many investors and all of their employees, who gave their hearts and souls ( along with their money). It seems so far away, first the news of this scandal broke, but it all came down in 2006, just 6 years ago.In this almost accurate story of this real company, one that was far more interested in raising their stock prices than doing anything that might help the country, the employees they hired and possibly their country, written by Lucy Prebble, we follow the office politics that go on in Houston Texas, as Enron “players” work their greed on Kenneth Lay ( the always reliable Terry Hamilton). The main “players” are Jeffrey Skilling (a marvelous portrayal by Bret Tuomi, who truly looks and sounds as if he could be a member of the Skillings Family) and Claudia Roe ( deftly handled by the lovely Amy Matheny). These two “work each other” as they try to climb the corporate ladder into the seat of President of Enron."
Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended
"... In the end, it doesn’t matter whether your idea of high finance is indulging in a Venti -size specialty coffee or a multi-billion dollar hedge fund future. Enron makes the story vivid."